The heart comprises valves that are present at the outlet of the right ventricle (pulmonary and tricuspid valves) and the left ventricle (aortic and mitral valves).
These valves provide a one-way circulation of the blood flow, while avoiding blood reflux at the end of ventricular contraction.
However, diseases or malformations affect the proper operation of the valves.
In particular, the latter may suffer from calcification, thereby allowing reflux or regurgitation toward the ventricle or atrium that expelled the blood flow. The regurgitation problem leads to abnormal expansion of the ventricle, which produces heart failure over time. In some cases, the valve comprises a number of leaflets smaller than that generally observed for this type of valve, which may harm its long-term operation.
To treat this type of disease surgically, it is known to implant an endovalve between the leaflets of the diseased native valve. This endovalve comprises a tubular endoprosthesis formed by an autoextensible mesh and a flexible closer or valve most often made from an animal tissue. The flexible closer is permanently fastened in the endoprosthesis.
Such endovalves can be implanted using the endoluminal route, which considerably limits the risks associated with implantation of the valve, in particular in terms of mortality.
In some cases, the endovalves are not fully satisfactory after implantation. In fact, although the outer surface of the endoprosthesis spontaneously presses against the seat of the native valve, by pressing the leaflets between the seat and the outer surface of the endoprosthesis, leaks may remain around the outer surface of the endoprosthesis, in particular at the commissures defined between the leaflets of the native valve. These leaks occur in more than 50% of patients having undergone such an operation.
To offset this problem, a treatment device is known in the state of the art comprising an implant that can be sealably implanted in a blood flow conduit. Such sealing is provided by a sealing body able in particular to surround the commissures between the leaflets of the native valve.
However, the exact position of the commissures defined by a native valve varies from one patient to the next and the existing device does not make it possible to position the sealing bodies in those commissures in a completely satisfactory manner.